The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1887-12-29
VICES OF DUB HOME AND SCHOOL
EDUCATION.

The Prussians have a saying that
whatever you wish to have appear
in the life of a nation. you must
put into it's schools. Will the re-
public be ennobled, then, by the
citizenship of a generation taught
in childhood 70 believe that as soon
as children can be taught to go
alone on their feet they should be
permitted to 60 alone in their judg-
ment, their manners, and their
principles? A pleasant aphorism OF
a German poet, that wise age rev.
erences the dreams of its youth, ap-
pears to frighten parents from set
ting up a rule in their own houses.
The children are consulted as to
what they like, which is well
enough; with the important lini-
tation that a large part of the d.
vinely appointed business Of their
fathers and mothers is to teach
them what they ought to like. 1t IS
reckoned despotic to coerce nature,
as if we did not bring into the
world in our nature, great deal
which, unless somebody does coerce
i, ruins US. Earlier and earlier the
reins are tossed on the neck of juve-
nile inclinations, till that whole pc
riod of beautiful and blessed sub
lection which Saxon homes once
knew as boyhood and Childhood is
eaten away by premature and Of
fensive seIf-assertion, and instead
of boys and girls, we have only little
men and little women. Some fu-
tile attempts are made, too late, to
hire or bribe the virtues which
might have been healthily grown
under sturdier nature. Indulgence
ends in misery. Sharper cruelty
can hardly be done to a child than
to leave him to himself in those
things in which God ordains the
parent to act over him and for him.
Whenever we come to be lawless
land, as we certainly shall after four
or FIVE lawless generations have
grown up in it, this great country"
will be a great grave of true free
dom, of manly virtue and pare
peace. Where the young are brought
up to obey, not coaxed or supplica-
ted to obey, in explicit allegiance
to dominion in the family, the
foundation is laid for solid social
fabric. From this home legislation
the first transfer is to school. The
same firm hand OF law, strict and
merciful, and merciful because it is
strict, is meant to take him up
there, too, holding him and guiding
him. The whole apparatus of edu-
cation, from top to bottom, fails un-
less it chastens and molds the mind
to orderly methods. Not more self
reliance, but more intellectual hu-
mility, is now our natioanl want.
Orators forget that the reaction from
mental tyranny finally achieves its
object, and that it is small gain if
we escape from the terrors of the
single tyrant only to encounter the
terrors of the mob. To create in
the scholar patient, modest and
obedient action of the whole intel
leetual nature is a benefit that lasts
on in the personal experience and
makes an abiding element in char
acter, opening the soul to all the
light of truth. Of two graduates
from college, one carries out store
ofthings learned, the luggage OF his
mind. Another carries the secret
how to learn, which is the better
part Of wisdom, and faculties set in
the order of the Makers plan.
Which will be the master of his
place and the master Of other men
in the fight of after years, who can
doubt ?-Bishop Huntington, IN The
Forum for October.